$4 Billion Namibia-Botswana Refinery Project Aims to Cut Fuel Imports and Strengthen Regional Energy Security Namibia and Botswana have unveiled a $4 billion refinery project aimed at enhancing energy security and reducing dependence on imported fuel across Southern Africa. Planned for Walvis Bay in Namibia and Ghanzi in Botswana, the refinery is expected to process 60,000 to 100,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Once operational, it will supply petrol, diesel, kerosene, and jet fuel,
Cameroon Targets 2027 Restart for Sonara Refinery to Reduce Fuel Imports and Boost Energy Security Cameroon is set to restart its 42,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) Sonara refinery by 2027 through a comprehensive restructuring and recovery program, officially approved this month. The board endorsed the rehabilitation framework, named Parras 24, on August 13, establishing a 24-month schedule for repairs and operational restructuring. Government support is expected to play a decisive role in resolving the refinery’s financial and
Shell Plans 2026 Offshore Drilling in Namibia’s Orange Basin to Unlock Oil Potential Shell is set to begin a new drilling campaign in 2026, targeting five exploration wells in its PEL 39 offshore block in Namibia’s Orange Basin. The company has already made several discoveries in the area, including Graff, La Rona, and Jonker. The upcoming program—though the exact number of wells is still to be finalized—aims to collect additional data to better evaluate the
Mozambique LNG Megaproject to Restart in 2025, Supplying Japan and Asia by 2030 Construction of TotalEnergies’ liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Mozambique is expected to resume by September 2025, with production projected to begin between 2029 and 2030, Mozambican President Daniel Chapo told the Japanese newspaper Nikkei last week. The $20 billion project, which also involves Mitsui & Co., was suspended in 2021 following an attack by Islamist militants. TotalEnergies has requested security guarantees,
Mozambique Natural Gas Megaproject Hangs on TotalEnergies’ Decision Amid Security Concerns Mozambican President Daniel Chapo emphasized that the resumption of the country’s natural gas project, halted since 2021 due to terrorist attacks, depends on TotalEnergies, the project’s lead investor. “The resumption depends on who is leading the project, and at the moment, that is Total,” President Chapo said during a meeting with the president of the Japanese multinational Mitsui in Yokohama, host city of the
TotalEnergies to Drill Seven Wells in South Africa’s Orange Basin as Oil Frontier Expands TotalEnergies SE is preparing to launch a new offshore drilling campaign in South Africa’s Deep Western Orange Basin, a region that extends into waters where Namibia has recently made major oil discoveries. According to SLR Consulting, which is conducting an independent environmental assessment, TotalEnergies’ South African subsidiary intends to drill up to seven wells located about 211 kilometers (131 miles) off
Cameroon Launches $400M Plan to Restart Sonara Refinery by 2027 After 2019 Fire Cameroon’s 42,000-barrel-per-day Sonara refinery, shuttered since a devastating fire in 2019, is set for rehabilitation under a new government-backed program aimed at restoring the country’s refining capacity by 2027. The recovery framework, known as Parras 24, was formally approved during a board meeting on August 13. It sets out a 24-month roadmap for restructuring and repairs to revive operations at the country’s
Namibia Postpones Lüderitz Harbor Expansion Crucial for Oil and Gas Industry Growth Namibia’s port authority has postponed plans to upgrade the southern harbor in Lüderitz, a key infrastructure project seen as vital for supporting the country’s fast-emerging oil and gas industry. The Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) had invited proposals for a concession to establish an oil and gas supply base in Lüderitz. However, the process was put on hold last week after the advertisement raised
Court Halts TotalEnergies’ Offshore Oil Exploration Over Environmental Concerns A South African court has overturned an environmental authorization that allowed TotalEnergies and its joint venture partner Shell to explore for oil off the Cape coast, citing serious flaws in the company’s environmental review. The Western Cape High Court ruled on August 13 that TotalEnergies failed to adequately assess the potential socio-economic impact of oil spills and neglected to consider climate change in its application. “Total
Algeria Signs Oil and Gas Study Deals with Occidental Petroleum to Boost Exploration Potential Algeria has strengthened its partnership with U.S. energy giant Occidental Petroleum by signing two study agreements aimed at assessing oil and gas reserves in the country’s south. The deals, announced by Alnaft, Algeria’s National Agency for Hydrocarbon Resources Valorization, cover El Ouabed and Dahar, two promising regions in southern Algeria. Assessing New Hydrocarbon Potential According to Alnaft, the agreements will allow
